Last year, the Syrian family came originally via Greece within the relocation sheme and was coordinated from the State Agency for Refugees in Bulgaria (SAR) to the Catholic community of Belene. Now the family has to leave again, because of the tensions in the city of Belene. Fr. Cortesi announced, the church is going to stop its charity-activity in the town.

As of today, 07.03.2017,

every [charity] activities of the church are on hold. If you need anything contact the mayor of Belene whose duties are to take care of the citizens in need.

Bordermonitoring Bulgaria (BMB) insists that hate speech against refugees and their supporters shall be taken very seriously by the Bulgarian authorities. They shall ensure that refugees are treated in a humane, non-discriminatory and respectful manner. The everyday racism, which exists in large parts of the Bulgarian society, has to be opposed by the administrative bodies. The responsibility for sheltering people in need should not only be outsourced to the church or other organizations.